Somerset Cricket Club (Bailey’s Bay won toss): Bailey’s Bay beat Somerset by 97 runs

A majestic century by Jarryd Richardson helped defending champions Bailey’s Bay get a much needed win over Somerset at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Richardson punished the west end bowlers to finish unbeaten on 138, which included 15 fours and five sixes, as his side reached 271 for seven in their 50 overs before bowling out Somerset for 174.

“It was a good game,” said Richardson.

“We got off to a slow start but in this 50-over format if you stick to the wicket, the runs will come especially if you capitalise on the loose bowling. Our bowlers bowled really well and got some early wickets and then the spinners finished it off. We played very well.”

Richardson would feature in two healthy partnerships to lay the foundation for his side’s respectable score.

A second-wicket partnership with opener Zakao Hart worth 90 runs helped to settle the Bay innings before Hart was bowled for 46. Richardson then teamed up with Bermuda captain Delray Rawlins to put up a fourth-wicket partnership of 79 before Rawlins was unfortunately run out on 34 when a straight drive by Richardson hit the hand of bowler Dominic Sabir and deviated on to the stumps to catch the non-striking batsman out of his crease.

Richardson brought up his maiden century after scampering through for a single as Jordan DeSilva’s throw hit bowler Ajie Richardson in the back while attempting the run out. He then brought up Bay’s 250 with two fours and a six in Jermal Proctor’s tenth over.

Proctor claimed Stephen Outerbridge (3) to a low diving catch by Alex Dore then bowled Sharye Tavares on the last ball of the same over for a duck for his two wickets at a cost of 71 runs. Sabir claimed the scalp of Bay captain and birthday boy Terryn Fray as well as Michael Agard to finish with two wickets for 64 runs.

Somerset, with the inclusion of player/coach Janeiro Tucker and Alex Dore in their line-up, were set a target of 272 at a required run rate of 5.44 per over.

Dore, who recently concluded the Bermuda Smash Invitational as the tournament’s highest runscorer was not given any time to impress after opening the batting with Proctor as he was out lbw without scoring in the first over to Macquille Walker.

Proctor was joined by his captain Ajie Richardson and they put on a second-wicket partnership worth 56 runs before he lobbed a gift to Shayne Tavares at mid-off from a Jordan Burgess slower delivery. Two balls later, Burgess then did well to hold on to a one-handed, return catch from a Richardson piledriver to claim his second wicket in the over as the captain went for 28.

The wickets of Proctor, Richardson and Sabir all fell with only one run added to the score to leave Somerset for four.

Janeiro Tucker, “Mr Cup Match”, found a reliable partner in Jade Morrissey as the two settled the Somerset innings with some patient batting to push the score along to 112 with a fifth-wicket partnership of 62 before Morrissey had his off stump pushed back by Michael Agard.

The right-arm spinner followed that by trapping Isiah Richardson (0) with the very next ball to claim two wickets in the over.

Somerset were 138 for six at the halfway point but quickly fell to 142 for nine as Tucker, who proved he still has class, watched wickets tumble around him as he finished on 82 not out. Those runs came off 70 balls with ten fours and three sixes.

Rawlins and Agard mopped up the middle and lower-order batsmen, sharing seven wickets between them as Agard finished with four for 27 and Rawlins with three for 48. Jordan Burgess chipped in with two wickets for 30 runs.